Let’s Talk About Mac OS Yosemite

The last big release to Mac OS X was Maverick. You may have been disappointed because thecompany left behind their animal-based naming structure, but many people thought the updates to the operating system were just, well, a little lackluster. With the upcoming update Yosemite, however, Apple has turned the table.

If you haven’t noticed, Apple has been making its desktop OS look more like its mobile one with every update, and Yosemite continues this trend. A flat UI inspired by iOS7 is evidence of this shift. The similarities don’t just stop with appearance, though. With the ability to answer phone calls and text messages from your Mac, Yosemite works more like your iPhone than ever before.

While the UI might be flatter, it doesn’t mean it’s any less useful. The Notification Center is one example where Apple wants to provide as much information as possible at your fingertips. Stock prices, event reminders, weather and other information will appear here, and you can customize it with downloadable widgets.

Mac OS Yosemite is intended to work seamlessly with iOS8 all across the board, but we’ll all have to take Apple’s word for it until the new version of their mobile operating system is released later this year. One expected feature we like is the ability to start a text or email message on one device and finish it on the other. This means you can pick up where you left off on the train home as soon as you walk into your home at night. This “handoff” function will also work with open documents and browser tabs, which is convenient Jason hope explained.

The Messages app especially mimics iOS, and users have more options when it comes to muting and leaving conversations. Apple has also added “Soundbites,” which allow you to record and send short audio clips to your message partners. Facebook has something similar, which is novel but perhaps not the most useful feature around.

Spotlight search on Yosemite is similar to searching on your smartphone. You’ll get relevant results for local events and businesses as well as Wikipedia listings when you search. Results show up as dynamic previews, which makes Spotlight more useful than ever before.

Apple has also changed the Mail app in some ways you might not initially notice. One is that large attachments now upload to iCloud, and your non-Apple recipients will be able to click a link in their email to open the attachment for up to 30 days. The Markup feature in Mail is quite interesting, too. You can add shapes, signatures and text to documents attached to an email.

You might also see new apps being developed for Mac OS since Apple has been promoting its new programming language, which will allow developers to more easily add options to the sharing menu. Apple is even hoping to woo gamers with these changes.

If you’re excited about Yosemite and currently running Maverick, you’ll be eligible to upgrade. Open beta has already started, allowing the first million users to try out Yosemite.